natur&emwelt english-speaking section newsletter april 2014
TRANSCRIPT
English-speaking Section April 2014 newsletter
Contact us: [email protected]
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Hedges, and their importance for nature
Hedges are very good for birds. Indeed, in the farmed countryside they are often the only structural element of any
natural interest or use. Outside the built-up area (the ‘Bauperimeter’) Luxembourg’s Nature Protection Law applies,
so hedges can only be cut between 1 October and 1 March. Within built-up areas you can cut your hedge whenever
you like (subject to local by-laws), but of course bird-lovers would never dream of disturbing hedge-nesting birds,
would you?
Some people get upset in the winter months when they see hedges being cut a bit too radically. In general nowadays
hedge cutting and trimming is done by responsible organisations like nature conservation syndicates, whose workers
have been trained in nature-friendly maintenance techniques. Hedges have to be cut back regularly, otherwise they
develop into lines of trees. It’s precisely the tangled density that is so important to nesting birds and to other animals
that live under the hedges. Sometimes, old hedges have been left untended so long that they have become straggly
and hollow in the middle. No tangled density there then. In such cases it’s the best solution to chop them right back
down to ground level. They regenerate quickly from the root, especially the most common hedgerow bushes
Blackthorn (sloe) and Hawthorn. So a radical coppicing job is often a good thing, despite appearances.
Many bird species that used to be specialists of the open countryside have now moved into suburban and even
urban gardens, so the way we manage our gardens has become crucial to many species’ survival. The single best
thing you can do to make your garden bird-friendly in the breeding season is to get rid of your cat. Period. Dealing
with neighbours’ cats is a trickier issue...
Next is to ‘garden for wildlife’, and that includes planting and maintaining hedges: the denser and thornier, the
better. But don’t make them so dense that birds can’t get inside them (as with so many over-managed suburban
coniferous hedges, which eventually come to resemble solid green walls).
natur&ëmwelt has large amounts of written material to help wildlife gardeners, some of it already in English.
natur&ëmwelt staff member Lea Bonblet also runs a hotline service for anyone with queries about conservation
issues. She can be contacted on 290404–313.
Due to a limitation in SlideShare, the links on the first 3 pages of the newsletter will not work. This newsletter has thus been organised to avoid links on the first 3 pages. Please press “Save” in SlideShare to download the newsletter. The links in the downloaded pdf file will then work. More articles can be found after the membership information.
English-speaking Section April 2014 newsletter
Contact us: [email protected]
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Membership information
We're trying to help wildlife in all kinds of ways. Your support is crucial so that we can carry out vital work
for nature in Luxembourg. Join today to help your local wildlife.
We create and improve habitats for birds and other wildlife, protect plant communities, maintain hedges,
orchards, etc.
We also organise outings, excursions, seminars, courses and conferences on the wildlife and the
environment in Luxembourg, such as:
guided birdwatching walks in Luxembourg;
visits to our LIFE projects, such as the freshwater mussel rearing station; and
"Get Fit by Nature", e.g. practical conservation work to help clear part of a site and create a
wildflower meadow surrounded by a diverse and natural hedgerow, which will provide shelter
and a barrier against the surrounding farmland, and habitat for the Grey Partridge.
All the above examples need your support, financial as well as physical.
natur&ëmwelt asbl offers its members:
online newsletters in English with news and events especially for English speakers;
4 issues per year of the membership magazine ‘Regulus’, with reports and information on nature
protection and conservation. This magazine is primarily in German;
outings, excursions led by English-speaking guides; and
a shop selling nature-related products in the House of Nature in Kockelscheuer.
Individual membership: 12€ /year (plus a donation, if you wish)
Family membership: 20€ /year (plus a donation, if you wish)
Please pay your membership fee to our bank account:
BCEE LU67 0019 8000 0994 5000
Thank you!
English-speaking Section April 2014 newsletter
Contact us: [email protected]
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Standing order form for membership
I, the undersigned member: Name
Street and number
City
Postal Code
Email address:
Country
authorise the association:
natur&ëmwelt, 5, route de Luxembourg, L-1899 KOCKELSCHEUER
to deduct on an annual basis from the year starting:
and until I cancel in writing, the membership fee of:
Individual membership: minimum 12 euro (plus donation if you wish)
Family membership: minimum 20 euro (plus donation if you wish)
from my bank account number (IBAN):
at the bank:
name of account holder:
address of account holder, if different from above:
This annual standing order replaces all previous standing orders for membership.
I also agree to any increase in the annual membership fees.
Place:
Date:
Signature of member and account holder:
English-speaking Section April 2014 newsletter
Contact us: [email protected]
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No bees, no nature
All of a sudden, bees have become a hot environmental issue. Our bees (throughout Europe) are in
trouble. (For an explanation of why this is happening, go to http://naturemwelt.lu/natur-an-
emwelt_ShowNews_News.1-2-292-2.html) Urgent measures are needed to protect and help this vital
contributor to the life and health of our countryside. Here are a few ideas on how you can help bees
and other pollinators.
1. Support organic farming by buying organic fruits, vegetables and produce. As organic farming practices
are more environmentally friendly, bees, other pollinators and insects are less impacted.
2. Help to maintain bee populations that are being decimated by pesticides by buying honey from and
paying a fair price to a local beekeeper, especially one who is practising organic methods. In Luxembourg,
the 2012-2013 season resulted in losses of about 30% of the bee colonies. A bee colony costs about 120
euro.
3. Boost the bee population by
i) becoming a beekeeper with your own hives; and/or
ii) sponsoring / donating to a local NGO that has projects to
support and promote beekeeping.
4. Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and
miticides.
5. Build an insect hotel. As our open countryside and
woodlands often lack nesting sites for solitary bees, insect
hotels can make up for this loss:
Photo © John PARK
6. Provide habitat in your garden, such as dead tree branches.
7. Plant a wide variety of native flowers (melliferous plants) so that the bees have a variety of nectar and
pollen sources.
8. Provide a bowl of water from which the bees can drink. Place broken twigs in the bowl so that the
bees can climb out of the water if they fall in.
If you would be interested in visiting beehives and/or would like to know how you can become a
beekeeper, please contact us.
English-speaking Section April 2014 newsletter
Contact us: [email protected]
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Upcoming events in the middle part of 2014
There’s a lot planned for the spring and summer of 2014. We can offer:
an organic wine-tasting on 25 April
build your own insect hotel, on 10 May
a birdwatching weekend in the Kaiserstuhl (15-18 May)
the annual Nature Festival on 29 June
a guided visit to the Dudelange wild animal shelter on 5 July
birdwatching in Remerchen on the evening of 20 August
photo © Wild Animal Shelter
(Centre de soins pour la faune sauvage)
For all these events, you need to register (the sooner the better) by clicking on the following link and
following the simple instructions: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/naturampemwelt-english-speaking-
section-2814647574
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible as often as possible.
Meanwhile, please check that your membership of natur&ëmwelt is up to date. You need to do this in
order to stay on our mailing list. Full details are on page 3.
‘We’, by the way, is the current organising and coordinating committee of the English-speaking section:
Mikis Bastian, David Crowther, Joseph Dunlop, Beatrice Eiselt, Laura Gouvras, Marie Kayser, John Park,
Mea Shepard, Marianne Thiry, Pam Tunney
If you’d like to join us, or just enquire generally about how you might be able to help, please e-mail us at
the address below.
If you would like to be added to our mailing list, you can register here: http://eepurl.com/qC2jT
English-speaking Section April 2014 newsletter
Contact us: [email protected]
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Foxes, Martens and co: a guided tour of the Wild Animal Shelter
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/foxes-martens-and-co-guided-tour-of-the-wild-animal-shelter-tickets-
11217695429
Ever saved a bird from your cat or found an orphaned wild animal? And now you want to help this poor
little fellow but you don’t know how? Clearly you have never heard of your local Wild Animal Shelter.
Come and join the natur&ëmwelt English-speaking Section on
a behind the scenes tour of the Wild Animal Shelter in
Dudelange on Saturday, 5 July, from 13.30 to 15.00. It helps
thousands of wild animals every year, with a success rate of
60% for reintroduction into the wild. You might see young
red foxes, stone martens, some of our native owls, birds of
prey and some cute little baby hedgehogs.
This is a family and disabled friendly event. Please register
via the above eventbrite link. And please wear clothing
appropriate to the weather conditions.
photo © Wild Animal Shelter
(Centre de soins pour la faune sauvage)
Entry fee: 5€ — direct donation to the work of the animal shelter.
Venue: Centre de soins pour la faune sauvage, Parc Le'h, B.P. 229 L-3403 Dudelange
http://www.centredesoins.lu/fr_access.htm
How to get there:
By car — Take the A3 Motorway towards Metz, then take the exit Dudelange-Centre. Take the second exit
on the first roundabout, then the second exit on the next roundabout. After around 500 metres, take the
left just before the bus stop. Follow the signs with the owl 'Centre de soins pour la faune sauvage'.
By public transport — >From Dudelange Gemeng, take the No 8 bus. Alight at Dudelange Waldschoul,
then follow the sign with the owl 'Centre de soins pour la faune sauvage’.
This event will also be held on Sunday, 6 July if demand is high enough (minimum of 10 people).
The Shelter is financed mainly through donations, so if you would like to donate, please do so on the
day of the event or by making a donation to:
Banque Générale du Luxembourg
IBAN LU52 0030 7007 2329 0000
BIC : BGLLLULL
You can also adopt a hedgehog and help it survive the cold winter months. You can find the forms on
www.centredesoins.lu or they will be provided during the day.